unveil

present singular third person unveils · participle present unveiling · participle past unveiled · past unveiled · alternative obsolete unvail

1. transitiveTo remove a veil from; to uncover; to reveal something hidden.

   A sort of curtain, made of- mat, usually hung before them, which the natives were sometimes unwilling to remove ; and when they did consent to unveil them, they seemed to express themselves in a very mysterious manner.

   1836, James Cook, The Three voyages of Captain Cook round the world, page 356

   2 more examples

   The Schools of Jurisprudence of Abu Hanifa, Al-Shafaii and Malik agree that the woman is permitted to unveil her face and hands in the streets in front of the strangers. However, if this display of the face does rouse temptation and charm, the woman has to veil her face as she does the rest of her body.

   1996, Status of women in Islam, Status of women in Islam, page 91

   Since, therefore, the science of natural philosophy is conversant about the works of the Almighty, and its investigations have a direct tendency to illustrate the perfections of his nature, to unveil the plan of his operations, to unfold the laws by which he governs the kingdom of universal nature, and to display the order, symmetry, and proportion, which reign throughout the whole.

   1831, Thomas Dick, The works of Thomas Dick, page 102

   Synonyms: expose, uncloak, bare, bewray, betray, display, expose, find out

2. transitiveTo show, especially for the first time.

   The car company are going to unveil the new sports car model next month.

   3 more examples

   Mr. K. W. C. Grand, Member of the B.T.C., and formerly General Manager of the Western Region, then unveiled one of the nameplates of No. 92220, to the applause of the large number of railwaymen and guests present.

   1960 May 28, “Evening Star”, in Railway Magazine, pages 307-308

   The state of Colorado today unveiled its final plan to guide management of 4.2 million acres of roadless lands within the state's 11 national forests and submitted it for federal approval.

   2010 April 6, Noelle Straub, “Colo. Submits Final Plan for 4.2M Acres of Roadless Lands”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 19 Jan 2022

   In summer 2020, the trains were unveiled at Wimbledon depot, and given the name Arterio. The operator said this symbolised its role as an artery for connecting the capital and beyond.

   2022 January 12, “Network News: Wait goes on for South Western Railway Arterios to start work”, in RAIL, number 948, page 9

3. intransitiveTo remove a veil; to reveal oneself.